Free From Broke

A Personal Finance Blog for Regular Folks

Review

Credit Karma Review – Get Your Credit Score and More

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If you take advantage of AnnualCreditReport.com you can pull your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus for free.

Your credit report is important to see what accounts you have open, to check the status of your accounts, and to make sure there are no mistakes on your reports.

But your credit report is different from your credit score.

For the most part, you have to pay to get the score that lenders use to determine your creditworthiness.  If you intend to pull your score frequently, perhaps because you are in the market for a house and would like the highest possible credit score to get the best interest rate on your home loan, then give Credit Karma a look, where you can get a credit score and track your score over time with no fees or obligations.

Let’s take a look at what it’s all about in this Credit Karma review.

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Marriott Hotel Rewards Program – Make Your Stays Worth More – A Review

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In addition to credit cards that offer hotel rewards, there are a number of hotel chains that offer their own reward programs.

One of them that offers the flexibility to earn either hotel points or air mile points is Marriott Rewards.

Marriott Rewards are accrued at 10 points per dollar spent (or 2 air mile points per dollar) at Marriott and JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Renaissance Hotels and Resorts, Edition, Autograph Collection, The Ritz-Carlton, and Marriott Vacation Club International.  Other hotels that earn 5 points per dollar spent or 1 air mile point include Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites, among others.  Qualifying hotels are found in 68 countries.

Signing up for Marriott Rewards is quite simple; you are required to give basic information such as your name, address, and e-mail address.  When you sign up, you can choose if you would like to accrue your points to earn free hotel stays or as air mile rewards. [Read more…] about Marriott Hotel Rewards Program – Make Your Stays Worth More – A Review

Bankruptcy – What it is, When it’s Used, and How it Works – Adapted from Debt Free for Life

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I had the pleasure of receiving a publisher’s copy if David Bach’s latest book Debt Free for Life – The Finish Rich Plan for Financial Freedom. Rather than give a general overview of the book, I’m going to talk about chapter 14 – How Bankruptcy Works, When to Use it, How Long it Will Take to you to Recover.

Bankruptcy is pretty much a last ditch effort to help save your financial situation (and perhaps your overall health and life).  The hope is that no one will ever need to know about bankruptcy but the truth is over a million and a half people in 2010 will file for personal bankruptcy.
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Choice Privileges Hotel Reward Program – A Review

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We are all familiar with travel rewards credit cards, but there are also reward programs offered by hotels themselves. If you are going to have to stay in a hotel, why not earn rewards for doing so?  Recently I joined Choice Privileges.

Where Points Are Earned

Choice Privileges rewards are accrued at 10 points per dollar spent at Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Ascend Collection and Cambria Suites hotel.  Choice Privileges are accrued at 5 points per dollar spent at MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn hotels.

Qualifying hotels are found in the U.S. including Hawaii, Canada, Caribbean/Mexico, Central/South America, Europe, Asia & Pacific.

Signing up for Choice Privileges can be done in less than five minutes.  You are required to give basic information such as your name, address, and e-mail address.  You can optionally give more information such as your birthday, phone number and credit card information.
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Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck – Review

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I just finished reading Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuck. The full title of the book is actually Why NOW is the Time To Crush It! Cash In On Your Passion.  I kept hearing about this Gary Vaynerchuck guy all over the place and hearing about this book (Inc. listed it as one of the top books for business owners in 2009).  I would also hear people talk about how they “crush” this or that.  I figured if I can get a copy at the library then I’ll give it a read.  Glad I did.  Awesome read!

This book is a primer on how to build your own personal brand and why you have to. It’s a quick and inspiring read that is well worth you time, whether you aren’t happy with the work you are doing or you are looking for ways to really grow what you are about.
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